<html xmlns:v="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:vml" xmlns:o="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" xmlns:w="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:word" xmlns:m="http://schemas.microsoft.com/office/2004/12/omml" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40"><head><meta http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; charset=us-ascii"><meta name=Generator content="Microsoft Word 15 (filtered medium)"><style><!--
/* Font Definitions */
@font-face
{font-family:"Cambria Math";
panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4;}
@font-face
{font-family:Calibri;
panose-1:2 15 5 2 2 2 4 3 2 4;}
/* Style Definitions */
p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{margin:0in;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;}
a:link, span.MsoHyperlink
{mso-style-priority:99;
color:#0563C1;
text-decoration:underline;}
span.EmailStyle17
{mso-style-type:personal-compose;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
color:windowtext;}
p.BodyA, li.BodyA, div.BodyA
{mso-style-name:"Body A";
margin-top:0in;
margin-right:0in;
margin-bottom:8.0pt;
margin-left:0in;
line-height:106%;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
color:black;
mso-style-textoutline-type:none;
mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dpiwidth:0pt;
mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-linecap:flat;
mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-join:bevel;
mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-pctmiterlimit:0%;
mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dash:solid;
mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-align:center;
mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-compound:simple;}
span.Hyperlink0
{mso-style-name:"Hyperlink\.0";
color:blue;
mso-style-textfill-fill-color:blue;
mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha:100.0%;
text-shadow:none;
text-decoration:underline;}
.MsoChpDefault
{mso-style-type:export-only;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;}
@page WordSection1
{size:8.5in 11.0in;
margin:1.0in 1.0in 1.0in 1.0in;}
div.WordSection1
{page:WordSection1;}
--></style><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:shapedefaults v:ext="edit" spidmax="1026" />
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:shapelayout v:ext="edit">
<o:idmap v:ext="edit" data="1" />
</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link="#0563C1" vlink="#954F72" style='word-wrap:break-word'><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal>Thanks to a generous grant program, we are able to offer Virginia students ages 9-13 an opportunity to participate in this exceptional enrichment program at our National Federation of the Blind (NFB) training center in Minneapolis MN. The Virginia affiliate may also be able to assist students with transportation costs.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=BodyA align=center style='text-align:center;line-height:normal'><span style='font-size:18.0pt'>Blindness: Learning In New Dimensions (BLIND), Inc.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=BodyA align=center style='text-align:center;line-height:normal'><span style='font-size:18.0pt'>Buddy Program 2023:</span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=BodyA align=center style='text-align:center;line-height:normal'><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>Challenge yourself. Conquer your fears. Create new memories. </span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=BodyA style='line-height:normal'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'>Apply today to the 2023 Buddy Program, a summer program for all blind and low vision students ages 9 to 13!</span><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=BodyA style='line-height:normal'><b><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'>When</span></b><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'>: June 11 - June 25, 2023 </span><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=BodyA style='line-height:normal'><b><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'>Where</span></b><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'>: BLIND, Inc.; 100 East 22nd St. Minneapolis Minnesota, 55404</span><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=BodyA style='line-height:normal'><b><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'>Application Deadline:</span></b><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'> April 15, 2023 </span><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=BodyA style='line-height:normal'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=BodyA style='line-height:normal'><b><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'>What: “</span></b><span lang=DE style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'>Buddies</span><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'>” will gain important blindness skills along with the empowering attitudes about blindness and exposure to the National Federation of the Blind (NFB) while exploring and experiencing the Twin Cities.</span><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=BodyA style='line-height:normal'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=BodyA style='line-height:normal'><b><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'>Program: </span></b><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'>Buddies will learn Braille reading and writing, Orientation and Mobility (O&M), access technology, independent living skills, and much more! Buddies will also have the ability to craft new friendships with their blind/low vision peers that will last a lifetime! Buddies will have an educational and recreational experience with program counselors, most of whom are blind college students. Buddies will learn to prepare meals under the supervision of the instructors. Buddies will also learn how to travel effectively using the public transit system! These skills will be beneficial for a lifetime! </span><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=BodyA style='line-height:normal'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=BodyA style='line-height:normal'><b><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'>Confidence Building Activities: </span></b><b><span lang=DE style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'>Buddies</span></b><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'> will participate in other activities around the Twin Cities. Activities may include: visiting the Mall of America, exploring a museum, amusement park, adaptive cycling, swimming, and more! </span><span lang=DE style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'>Buddies</span><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'> utilize the skills they are taught in the program while participating in these fun activities.</span><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=BodyA style='line-height:normal'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=BodyA style='line-height:normal'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'>Contact Michell Gip, Youth Services Coordinator, at 612-872-0100, Ext. 231, or </span><span class=Hyperlink0><span style='color:black;mso-style-textfill-fill-color:black;mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha:100.0%'><a href="mailto:mgip@blindinc.org"><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:black;mso-style-textfill-fill-color:black;mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha:100.0%'><span style='color:black;mso-style-textfill-fill-color:black;mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha:100.0%'>mgip@blindinc.org</span></span></a></span></span><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'> for more information or an application. </span><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=BodyA style='line-height:normal'><b><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'>Apply today to ensure your space in the 2022 Buddy Program!</span></b><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Tracy Soforenko<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>President, National Federation of the Blind of Virginia<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>202 285-4595<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><a href="mailto:Tracy.soforenko@gmail.com"><span style='color:#0563C1'>Tracy.soforenko@gmail.com</span></a><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><a href="http://www.nfb.org"><span style='color:#0563C1'>www.nfb.org</span></a><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><a href="http://www.nfbv.org"><span style='color:#0563C1'>www.nfbv.org</span></a><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>National Federation of the Blind. Live the Life You Want<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>The National Federation of the Blind is a community of members and friends who believe in the hopes and dreams of the nation’s blind. Every day we work together to help blind people live the lives they want.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div></body></html>